For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who through use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
The author of Hebrews is saying that the Christians here should be more mature than they were. They received the “milk”, the principles and foundations of the faith. But, they were supposed to now be at the phase of eating “solid food”. Those who have been Christians for a while should be skilled in the word of righteousness. Their senses should be exercised to discern both good and evil. Exercised means that the believer is using their senses to discern what is right and wrong.
When we hear the word “senses”, the first thing we think of is the 5 physical human senses. But, there are also spiritual counterparts to these senses. In the next few posts, we’ll discuss our spiritual senses - Taste, Hearing, Sight, Smell, Touch.
SMELL
In this post, we’ll discuss the sense of smell. The Bible presents the sense of smell with the word aroma. This is derived from the Latin word ‘aromatos’, meaning sweet odor, fragrant substance, spice, or seasoning.
Let’s look at some Bible verses that deal with the sense of smell.
Philippians 4:18 - Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God.
Revelation 5:8 - Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
Psalm 141:2 - Let my prayer be set before You as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
2 Corinthians 2:14,15 - Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.
Physically, our sense of smell can detect both good and bad scents. It is considered the most powerful physical sense. It is linked to parts of the brain that process memory and emotion. It can also help to warn us of possible danger.
Spiritually, the sense of smell is also emphasized before God. To God the Father, we, His children, produce an aroma that is pleasing to Him. Our prayers have an aroma like incense before God. Incense was used in the Old Testament as part of sacrifices in the Temple. Once the incense was lit, the fragrance and smoke filled the room. The incense represented the prayers of the people going up to God the Father. This can be found in both the Old and New Testaments.
The spiritual sense of smell should be readily apparent in our lives. In 2 Corinthians, we, as believers, are called out as being the fragrance of Christ to others. Others should recognize the scent of Christ on us, and be drawn to Christ through us.